Welded boat construction



May 30, 1944. J. F. MERCER WELDED BOAT CONSTRUCTION 'Filed Sept. 9, 1945 am bom [EM area?" Patented May 30, 1944 1 UNITED [STATE-s ii ai hNT" oFFl-ca WELDED.BOAT CONSTRUCTION John F. Mercer, Washington, C. Application September 9, 1943, Serial No. 501,702

' 7 Claims 01.114 79) This invention relates to an improved method and means of constructing a boat out of Welded sheet metal.

An object of this inventionis to provide an improved boat construction of sheet metal welded together, wherein any tendency of the metal to buckle during the welding operation will be eliminated.

Another object-of this invention is to provide in a small boat construction an improved rib and hull plating or shell which will permit prefabrication of the parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a small boat construction an improved rib and hull plating or shell wherein any slight errors in construction can be easily corrected during the welding of the parts.

Another-object of this invention is to provide in a small boat construction, in combination, a rib or frame element and a metal plank which is adapted to interlock with the rib, the plank being formed with a lower inwardly projecting flange which provides for reinforcing the thin metal and will simulate the lapped board construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a small boat construction an improved metal plating or planking which is formed with a. flat outer side and a flanged lower edge. thevfiange of the lower edge of a succeeding plating contacting with the flat outer side of the upper portion of a preceding plating. the flange providing a bendable part, and the angle formed by the flange may be varied under expansion or contraction during the welding operation to correct minor errors in construction or assembly so that close tolerances between the parts may be eliminated.

To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of. the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically re ferred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein are shownembodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. s

In the drawing: t

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section of a small boat constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation looking from the inside,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of one of the metal planking or plating members, and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a modified form of this construction.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral Ill designates generally a rib or frame member which is bent longitudinally to the desired shape, being formed of a flat strip of metal. The rib or frame, member i0 is formed witha plurality of stepped outer portions H providing lower shoulders 13 and the rib In at the junction of the shoulder 13 with the fiat outer portion H is provided with, an upwardly projecting slot I2.

A sheet metal plating or planking generally designated as M is adapted to be secured to the stepped portions I! and the shoulders l3 and comprises a substantially fiat body 15 which has the opposite longitudinal edges thereof shaped to provide the desired configuration of the hull, and the body H3 at its lower edge is formed with an inwardly projecting flange I6. The flange it is adapted to engage against the shoulders it of the various ribs whereas the upper edge of the body 15 is adapted to be extended upwardly into the slot I2, as shown in Figure 1. I Initially the inner side of the body I5 is tacked adjacent the lower part thereof to the ribs Ill and the flange I6 of a succeedingv plating .or

planking is adapted to abut at its inner free edge against the outer side of a-preceding planking or plating at .a point slightly below the upper edge of the preceding planking or plating. The flange i 6 may then be initially tacked by Welding to the outer side of a preceding body It whereupon the flange It may be welded, as at ll, to thebody l5 of a preceding planking.

The inner side of the body I5 and of the flange 26 may then be welded, as at It, to the various ribs, the welding is being disposed on opposite sides of the rib- I0, as shown in Figure 2. If desired the notches 12 above the upperedges ofzthe body It may then be filled in by welding, as at E9, so that a solid metal body construction will Y be provided for the boat. t.

The flange I6 is here shown as disposed "at substantially rightangles to the body 15, and it will be understoodthat this angle may be greater or less to a small degree in order to cor.- rect any inaccuracies in the cutting of the metal, and the expansion or contraction of the metal during the welding operations. The provision of the flange IE will. provide a hull construction simulating lapped planking and the flange .IE will provide a reinforcing element-to hold the body l5 against bending or buckling in addition integral plating or planking members Ma, and Nb. In the present instance, the lower edge of the plating or planking member Ma is formed with a right angle flange l6a integral with the upper edge of the body l5b of the lower member llb, and the rib or frame member I00. is provided with a shoulder l3a wherein the notch for receiving the upper edge of the preceding member llb is eliminated.

The upper edge of the plating or planking member Ma is adapted to engage in a notch [2a formed in the rib or frame member H'la, and the lower flange I 6b is adapted to engage against the shoulder l3b of a step H b which is formed on the outer edge of the rib Illa. The inner side of the'plating member is adapted to be welded as at l8a to the opposite sides of the frame or rib Illa, and the lower flange 16b is adapted to be welded as at l'la to the upper edge portion and the outer side of a preceding plating or planking member.

With a construction as disclosed in Figure 4, the width of the plating members may be varied as desired to simulate either narrow or wide planking and by providing a plurality of these plating members which are integral with each other a considerable amount of welding may be eliminated.

A vessel or boat constructed according to this invention will be reinforced against denting or buckling due to the flanges at the lower edges of the plating or planking members, and in the event there is any noticeable expansion or contraction of these members during the assembly operation, the various plating members can be readily secured together, due to the compensating feature herein provided, wherein the lower flange of a succeeding plating member overlaps the upper portion of a preceding plating member. The ribs Ill and Illa may be of either flat construction disposed with their narrow edge outermost or may be of T-shape construction in transverse section.

The method hereinbefore described of forming the hull of a small boat will provide for the easy and quick assemblying of the shell which operation may be formed by any welder, the welding operation of the outer side of the hull being capable of being performed by turning the hull upside down and then welding the plating to the ribs and the various plating members to each other.

What I claim is:

l. A welded sheet metal boat comprising ribs formed with stepped outer edge portions and an upwardly projecting notch between certain of said stepped portions, plating members engaging on said stepped portions, the upper edge of each plating members engaging in said notch, said members including a relatively flat body and an inwardly projecting lower flange, the lower flange of a succeeding plating member overlapping the upper portion of a preceding plating member,

member to the upper portion of a preceding member and also securing said members to said ribs. 2. A welded sheet metal boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein each flange is disposed in abutting relation to the shoulder formed between the stepped portions of said ribs.

3. A welded sheet metal boat comprising ribs formed with outer stepped edges and an upwardly extending notch between each step, a plurality of and welding securing the flange of a succeeding plating members, each member being formed of a bodyv part and a lower inwardly projecting flange, the upper edge of said body part extending into adjacent rib notches, the lower flange of a succeeding member overlapping the outer side of the upper portion of a preceding member, and welding securing adjacent members together and to said ribs.

4. A welded sheet metal boat comprising ribs formed with outer stepped edges, said ribs having upwardly extending notches between alternate steps, plating members engaging the stepped edges of said ribs and the upper edges of said plating members engaging in said notches, each member being formed of a plurality of stepped portions, the lower stepped portion of each member being formed with an inwardly projecting flange engageable against the outer side of the upper portion of a preceding member, and welding securing said members together and to said ribs.

5. In a sheet metal boat construction, an improved rib comprising an elongated bowed metal strip, the outer edge of said strip being formed with steps, and said rib also having an upwardly extending plating locking notch between each step, each notch being co-planar with the outer side of a step and forming a continuation of the upper portion of a step.

6. A sheet metal bo'at comprising ribs formed with outer stepped edges and a notch between each step, each notch being coplanar with and forming a continuation and extension of a step, a plurality of overlapping plating members, each member being formed of a body part and minwardly projecting flange extending from one lengthwise edge of said body'part, the opposite lengthwise edge of said body part extending into adjacent rib notches, the flange of one member overlapping the outer side of an adjacent member spaced from the lengthwise edge of that portion of said adjacent member engaging in said rib notches, and means securing adjacent members together and to said ribs.

7. A sheet metal boat construction comprising a frame formed of longitudinally bowed metal strips, and a plating secured to said strips, said plating comprising elongated-metal plates formed with a flange on one edgethe'reof, said flange overlapping the outerflat side of'a' preceding plate spaced from the adjacent edge of the lat-" ter, welding securing said flange to said plate, and welding securing said plates to said strips.

JOHN F. MERCER. 

